Gear oil leak from lower drive water intake?

[Nextelbuddy]

So last summer aug 2020 I did an engine tune up and I also as a preventative maintenance replace the water pump And gaskets with Quicksilver kit. I had no issues with the water pump no issues with leaking gear oil prior to that.

After I got everything assembled the boat was running great for probably one weekend and my engine blew while at WOT. Total engine failure and seized up. Engine temperature gauge was working never noticed any issues no overheating.

Today I finally pulled the outdrive off and pulled the old engine out and when I lowered the outdrive from trailer mode all the way down I noticed just tons of gear lube coming out of the water intake in the lower drive unit. I remember last summer for the one weekend It was running good I had to top off the gear lube reservoir twice and I didn't really think anything of it.

So I guess I have two questions what did I do wrong when I did the water pump and gasket kit in the outdrive and is it possible that whatever I did wrong that's causing this gear lube to leak out of the water intake did that cause my engine failure? Did gear lube get mixed in with water and go into my engine?

The engine was a non-vortec 5.7 350 In a 1996 Sea Ray 210. I'll drive as alpha 2 gen one.

There was no water leaks or oil leaks when I pulled the outdrive off from the bellhousing. Only gear oil leaking through the water intake holes on the lower unit.

ENG: 0F760044 457B100JS MERCRUISER 5.7L ALPHA
DRV: 0F693018 5010162JS MERCRUISER ALPHA 1.62:1
TRN: 0F650239 6010000JS MERCRUISER ALPHA TRANSOM

 

[alldodge]

Gear lube coming out the water intake is either something busted or seal failure. Need to take it apart to find out.

engine blew while at WOT. Total engine failure and seized up.

Are you sure the motor blew or the drive seized up

 

[achris]

Gear lube coming out the water intake is either something busted or seal failure. Need to take it apart to find out....

Need to pressure test it BEFORE you take it apart...

 

[Bt Doctur]

I'll drive as alpha 2 gen one.
Did you mean Alpha 1 GEN II
When you did the water pump did you replace the base seal ? That usually where the oil comes from. Other area is where the "quad seal" is. The small O ring that seals between the units

 

[Nextelbuddy]

Gear lube coming out the water intake is either something busted or seal failure. Need to take it apart to find out.



Are you sure the motor blew or the drive seized up

I mean that's a good question but if I had everything in neutral and the engine wouldn't crank over just the starter clicking wouldn't it still start even if the drive was seized up?

And I can't quote all the other people below me unfortunately not in one post but I see the suggestions for pressure testing before taking it apart. I haven't taken it apart yet I was going to today but I guess I'll hold off I need to research how to build a pressure tester for it first not sure how complicated that is.

 

[Nextelbuddy]

I'll drive as alpha 2 gen one.
Did you mean Alpha 1 GEN II
When you did the water pump did you replace the base seal ? That usually where the oil comes from. Other area is where the "quad seal" is. The small O ring that seals between the units

Alpha 1 Gen 2 is what I meant sorry.

The water pump impeller kit that I got from Quicksilver had the water pump a large metal plate and a bunch of small seals It also had some extra seals I assumed for other applications but I just used or matched up all the new stuff with the old stuff that I pulled out so I did replace everything that I pulled out I thought I got it all back together properly but as the other person above you mentioned I guess I should pressure test the drive unit before I pull it apart I just don't know how hard that is or how to even start with something like that Guess that's next on my list.

I wish I had tried to start the engine with the drive unit off I thought it would have been good enough if the drive was in neutral trying to start the engine to determine if the drive was seized up or not.

 

[alldodge]

I mean that's a good question but if I had everything in neutral and the engine wouldn't crank over just the starter clicking wouldn't it still start even if the drive was seized up?

If the drive is seized in the top, the motor won't turn over

 

[Rick Stephens]

A couple of thoughts. One place where oil can leak is the output seals for the upper case. These are particularly vulnerable if you pull just the lower half to service the water pump. When you reinstall the lower it is really easy to damage those seals if the shaft gets started crooked. Always best practice to remove the entire drive and splt the cases with the lower case held in a slotted fixture - easy to make with a couple 2x6's. Lowering the upper down onto the lower is super simple and easy.. And besides, the u-joints, bellows and gimbal bearing should all be inspected annually.

Pulling a drive is a 10 minute job, most of that finding the right socket and extension.

Note, all the shafts except the propeller shaft turn with the engine running. The gears are in the bottom of the drive.

If you think the drive might be seized, pull the top cap off and get a look at the gears up there. If you have an oil leak, the first place that runs out of oil is the top gears.

 

[Nextelbuddy]

Alpha 1 Gen 2 is what I meant sorry.

The water pump impeller kit that I got from Quicksilver had the water pump a large metal plate and a bunch of small seals It also had some extra seals I assumed for other applications but I just used or matched up all the new stuff with the old stuff that I pulled out so I did replace everything that I pulled out I thought I got it all back together properly but as the other person above you mentioned I guess I should pressure test the drive unit before I pull it apart I just don't know how hard that is or how to even start with something like that Guess that's next on my list.

I wish I had tried to start the engine with the drive unit off I thought it would have been good enough if the drive was in neutral trying to start the engine to determine if the drive was seized up or not.

A couple of thoughts. One place where oil can leak is the output seals for the upper case. These are particularly vulnerable if you pull just the lower half to service the water pump. When you reinstall the lower it is really easy to damage those seals if the shaft gets started crooked. Always best practice to remove the entire drive and splt the cases with the lower case held in a slotted fixture - easy to make with a couple 2x6's. Lowering the upper down onto the lower is super simple and easy.. And besides, the u-joints, bellows and gimbal bearing should all be inspected annually.

Pulling a drive is a 10 minute job, most of that finding the right socket and extension.

Note, all the shafts except the propeller shaft turn with the engine running. The gears are in the bottom of the drive.

If you think the drive might be seized, pull the top cap off and get a look at the gears up there. If you have an oil leak, the first place that runs out of oil is the top gears.

So I have the outdrive off just kind of standing up on the skeg..

If I rotate the gear foot lever I can get it into neutral and I can rotate the drive shaft pretty easily and the propeller doesn't spin and if I put it in the gear and I rotated the propeller spins Is that a good indicator that the drive unit might be okay I'm still going to try to pressure test it first and then I'm still going to take off the upper and lower units and inspect everything I'm just trying to get a little peace of mind here on what to expect I'm sure some of us have been there more than others lol.

Thanks a lot guys for being responsible on the weekend I appreciate it

 

[icyb]

Chris has a excellent post here. https://forums.iboats.com/threads/drive-leaking-oil.695163/